Who to start · 2026-27
Dylan Garand vs Leevi Meriläinen
In 2026-27, Dylan Garand posted a .910 save percentage to Leevi Meriläinen's .885.
Against our expected-goals model, Garand saved +1.7 goals and Meriläinen −4.1.
This week Garand has no games left; Meriläinen has 1 left (about 0.7 expected starts). In ESPN default points scoring we project Garand for 0.0 to Meriläinen's -0.8 over the games left.
Dylan Garand has the better number in 8 of the 11 stats both are ranked on.
Garand's biggest edges: Wins 7, Goals against 32, Goals-against average 2.37.
Meriläinen's biggest edges: Saves 368.
In standard categories (W, GAA, SV%), the default in Who Should I Start, Dylan Garand rates ahead, +1.5 to -3.2 in summed category z-scores.
- • Dylan Garand is a rookie: 3 NHL games before this season.
- • Garand has played 10 of the Rangers' 12 games since Oct 17 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Meriläinen has played 10 of the Canucks' 13 games since Oct 15 (in and out of the lineup).
New York Rangers · Vancouver Canucks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (3 categories), Dylan Garand has the edge (Garand wins 3, Meriläinen wins 0 of 3 categories).
| Category | Garand | Meriläinen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins / game | 0.47 | 0.13 |
| GAA (lower wins) | 2.37 | 3.52 |
| Save % | 0.910 | 0.885 |
Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Garand vs Meriläinen
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2026-27 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Garand | Meriläinen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-13 | NYR 5–1 VAN | 27/28 SV | 25/30 SV |
| 2026-10-11 | NYR 6–2 VAN | 19/21 SV | 0/0 SV |
Every stat, side by side
Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed and, for goalies, weighted by the chance he starts, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (W 4, GA -2, SV 0.2, SO 3, OTL 1). Use your league's scoring
Dylan Garand
3games (0 left)
0.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 @ EDM
- Wed, Nov 11 @ CGYOpp allows 3rd-most FP to GLikely vs Devin Cooley (.914)
- Fri, Nov 13 @ VANOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to GLikely vs Leevi Meriläinen (.885)
Leevi Meriläinen
3games (1 left)
-0.8proj. ESPN default pts
About 0.7 expected starts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs PHI
- Fri, Nov 13 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to GLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Dylan Garand or Leevi Meriläinen?
- In 2026-27, Dylan Garand posted a .910 save percentage to Leevi Meriläinen's .885. Against our expected-goals model, Garand saved +1.7 goals and Meriläinen −4.1. Confirm the starter on game day; workload and back-to-backs decide most goalie starts.
- Who is better, Dylan Garand or Leevi Meriläinen?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Dylan Garand leads in 8 of 11 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Garand and Meriläinen done against each other?
- In 2 games against each other in our data, Garand's team went 2–0.
2026-27 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →